Adjustable supporting structure for light signals and the like



w. B. WELLS 1,842,224

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR LIGHT SIGNALS AND THE LiKE Jan. 19, 1932.

Filed March 24. 1951 e 111111111111 villi Patented Jan. 19, 1932 STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WESLEY B. WELLS, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISS PENNSYLVANIA VALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR LIGHT SIGNALS AND THE LIKE Application filed March 24, 1931. Serial No. 524,874.

My invention relates to adjustable support ing structures for light signals and the l ke.

I will describe one form of supporting structure embodying my invention, and w ll then point out the novel features thereof in claims. I

in the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 1s a view, partly in section and partly inside elevation, showing one form of light signal attached to a supporting pole by means of one form of supporting structure embodying my invention. 2 is a view of the light s gnal and suppor ing structure shown in lhg. 1, as they appear when viewed from the left in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an isometric View of the supporting structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, certain of the parts being broken away to better illustrate the construction.

Similar reference characters refer to sim ilar parts in all three views.

Referring first tolligs. 1 and 2, the reference character A designates a light signal comprising a housing or casing 1 provided with a light unit B. This light unit, in the form here shown, comprises an electric lamp 2 supported on a base 3 secured to a frame 4, and having its filament 5 located at the focal point of a doublet lens made up of two echelon lenses 6 and 7, which lenses are also secured to the frame 4. The frame l is secured in an opening 8 in the casing by means of suitable screws 41.

Light signals of the type described are particularly suitable for, although in no way limited to, use for railway signaling purposes, and the parts are usually so proportioned that when the lamp 2 is illuminated, the light emitted by the signal will be in the form of a beam of substantially parallel rays. It is frequently desirable that this beam should be observed at a point located a considcrable distance away from the signal in order to provide a long range indication, and when this is the case, it is necessary that the beam should be accurately directed toward this point. This directing is usually accom plished wit-h the aid of a sighting telescope 9 which is built into the casing during assembly and accurately aligned with the signal beam, the signal being moved about its supporting pole until the desired location of the beam is obtained as determined by observation through the telescope 9. It will be readily understood that when the distance from the signal to the point of observation is long, every small amount of movement of the signal will cause a comparatively large change in the location of the signal beam at the point of observation, and it is therefore desirable to fasten the signal to its supporting pole in such manner that so-called micrometer adjustments of its position with respect to the pole in both the horizontal and vertical planes may be made. For this purpose, I provide the supporting structure which I will now describe.

Referring now also to Fig. 3, this support ing structure, in the form here shown, comprises an inner sleeve 10 and an outer sleeve 11. The inner sleeve 10 fits over the top of the supporting pole 12 and is fastened to the pole by means of set screws 18 which are threaded through an integral annular flange 14 formed at the bottom of the sleeve 10. The set screws 13 are each provided with a lock nut 15 which prevents these screws from becoming loosened. The outer sleeve 11 is supported on the inner sleeve 10 by means of the flange 14, and is adapted to rotate about the inner sleeve. Axial alignment of the two sleeves is maintained by means of two circumferential ribs 16 and 17 which are formed on the inner sleeve 10, and which are adapted to cooperate with two inwardly extending circular ribs 18 and 19, respectively, formed on the inner side of the outer sleeve 11. In order to permit the outer sleeve 11 to turn smoothly and freely about the inner sleeve, all engaging surfaces are machined to form smooth bearing surfaces. The upper end of the inner sleeve is partly closed and is provided with two upwardly extending lugs 20 and 21 cooperating with two adjusting bolts 22 and 23 which are threaded through suitable bosses formed on the outer sleeve. It will be seen that by backing out one of these adjusting bolts and turning in the other, the outer sleeve may be rotated in the horizontal plane about the inner sleeve through a considerable angle in either the clockwise or counter-clockill be held to a minimum.

wise direction. A locking screw 24 is also threaded through the outer sleeve, and is adapted to engage the inner sleeve to hold the outer sleeve in position after it has been revolved to its desired position. A lock nut 24% screwed on the locking screw 24, prevents this locking screw from becoming loosened. The space between the inner and outer sleeves is preferably filled with a suitable lubricant, such as graphite grease, which keeps the machined surfaces well lubricated, thus preventing rusting and facilitating easy turning.

The outer sleeve 11 is provided at its upper end with an upwardly projecting portion which is adapted to fit into a downwardly extending socket portion formed on the lower end of the casing 1. It will be noted that the outer surface of the two opposite sides 25 and 26 of the projecting portion are vertical and are parallel to the inner surfaces of the adjacent sides 27 and 28, respectively, of the socket portion as best seen in Fig. 2, while the outer surface of the remaining two opposite sides 39 and of the projecting portion are semi-cylindrical and are parallel to the inner surfaces of the adjacent sides 29 and 30 of the socket portion as best seen in Fig. 1. A pivot pin 31 passes through the vertical sides 25 and 26 of the projecting portion and the vertical sides 27 and 28 of the socket portion at the center of curvature of all of the cylindrical surfaces, and this pin pivotally connects the casing 1 to the outer sleeve in such manner that the casing may be rotated about the pivot pin without changing the clearances between the projecting portion and the socket port-ion. It will be seen, therefore, that the clearances between the projecting portion and the socket portion may The use of small clearances prevents dirt and other foreign material from entering the signal casing, and enables the sleeves to be designed with large openings for bringing wires up through the supporting post and the sleeve into the signal casmg.

The rotation of the casing 1 about the pivot pin 31 to effect adjustments of the signal in the vertical plane is accomplished by means of two adjusting screws 32 and 33. These screws are threaded through lugs 34 and 35, respectively, formed on the side of the outer sleeve 11, and they cooperate with the opposite sides of an arm 36 which is fastened at its upper end to the casing 1 by means of tap bolts 37. The adjusting screws 32 and 33 each carry a lock nut 38 which holds the screw in its adjusted position.

In utilizing the supporting structure just described, the outer sleeve is first placed on the inner sleeve, and the space between the two sleeves is filled with a lubricant as previously described. The adjusting bolts 22 and 23 are then screwed to such positions that when these bolts are engaging the associated lugs 20 and 21, respectively, the outer sleeve is located approximately at the center of its range of adjustment. The locking screw 24 and lock nut 24 are then tightened to hold the outer sleeve in this position. The supporting structure is next secured to the casing 1 by means of the pivot pin 31, and the adjusting screws 32 and 33 are then adjusted to the positions in which the arm 36 is held approximately midway between the lugs 34 and 35. The signal and supporting structure as a unit are next placed on the supporting pole 12 with the signal facing approximately in the desired direction, and the set screws 13 and lock nuts 15 are then ti ghtened to securely clamp the inner sleeve 10 to the supporting pole. The locking screw 24 and lock nut 24 are next loosened, and the adjusting bolts 22 and 23 are manipulated to rotate the outer sleeve in the manner previously described, until the casing occupies a position in which the signal beam is accurately directed in the horizontal plane toward the exact point from which it is first to be observed after which the parts are locked against further rotation by again tightening the locking screw 24 and lock nut 24 The vertical position of the casing is next adjusted to obtain the desired location of the signal beam in the vertical plane by first loosening lock nuts 38 and then backing out one of the screws 32 or 33 and turning in the other screw, thus rotating the cas ing about the pivot pin 31. After this latter adjustment has been made, the lock nuts 38 are tightened, and the signal is then pc1= manently locked in position.

It will be apparent therefore that with supporting structures embodying my invention, adjustments of the position of the signal casing in both the horizontal and vertical planes may be readily accomplished thereby providing a convenientand accurate means for directing the signal beam toward any desired point or field of observation.

One advantage of a supporting structure embodying my invention is that all adjusting members are near the sighting device so that adjustments may be made with a minimum of effort.

It should be pointed cut that, while I have described a supporting structure embodying my invention as being particularly suitable for supporting a light signal, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to this use, but that, it may be employed for supporting any similar device where similar adjustments are to be made.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of adjustable supporting structure embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my in- .vention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a supporting pole, a first sleeve fitting over the upper end of said supporting pole and fastened thereto, a second sleeve adapted to be rotated about said first sleeve, two spaced lugs on the upper end of said first sleeve, two adjusting bolts threaded through the second sleeve and one cooperating with each of said lugs in such manner that by backing out one bolt and screwing in the other said second sleeve may be rotated about said first sleeve, a locking screw threaded through the outer sleeve and adapted to engage the inner sleeve for locking said outer sleeve in an adjusted position, a. casing pivotally attached to said second sleeve, and means for adjusting the position of said casing with respect to said second sleeve.

2. A supporting structure for attaching a casing to a supporting member comprising an inner sleeve fastened to the upper end of the supporting member, an outer sleeve fitting over the inner sleeve and adapted to be rotated about the inner sleeve, two lugs on the inner sleeve, two adjusting bolts threaded through the outer sleeve and one cooperating with each of said lugs in such manner that by backing out one bolt and turning in the other said outer sleeve may be rotated about said inner sleeve, means for pivotally supporting said casing on said outer sleeve, and means for rotating said casing about said supporting means.

3. A supporting structure for attaching a casing to a supporting member comprising an inner sleeve fastened to the upper end of the supporting member, an outer sleeve fitting over the inner sleeve and adapted to be rotated about the inner sleeve, two lugs on the inner sleeve, two adjusting bolts threaded through the outer sleeve and one cooperating with each of said lugs in such manner that by backing out one bolt and turning in the other said outer sleeve may be rotated about said inner sleeve, means for pivotally supporting said casing on said outer sleeve, an arm attached to said casing, two lugs on said outer sleeve, and two adjusting screws screwed through the lugs on said outer sleeve and cooperating with the opposite sides of said arm for rotating said casing about said supporting means.

4. In combination, a supporting pole, a first sleeve fastened to said supporting pole and provided at its lower end with an annular flange, a second sleeve fitting over said first sleeve and supported by said flange, two spaced circumferential ribs on said first sleeve, two inwardly extending circular ribs on said outer sleeve cooperating with said two circumferential ribs to maintain said two sleeves in axial alignment while permitting rotation of said second sleeve about said first sleeve, lmeans for rotating said second sleeve through a considerable angle in both directions about said first sleeve, a casing pivotally attached to said second sleeve, and means for adjusting the position of said casing with respect to said second sleeve.

5. In combination, a supporting pole, a first sleeve fastened to said supporting pole and provided at its lower end with an annular flange, a second sleeve fitting over said first sleeve and supported by said flange, two

spaced circumferential ribs on said first sleeve, two inwardly extending circular ribs on said outer sleeve cooperating with said two circumferential ribs to maintain said two lsleeves in axial alignment while permitting rotation of said second sleeve about said first rsleeve, two spaced lugs on the upper end of said first sleeve, two adjusting bolts threaded through the second sleeve and one cooperating with each of said lugs in such manner that by backing out one bolt and screwing in the other said second sleeve may be rotated about said first sleeve, a locking screw screwed through the outer sleeve and adapted to engage the inner sleeve for locking said outer sleeve in an adjusted position, a casing pivotally attached to said second sleeve, and means for adjusting the positionof said casing with respect to said second sleeve.

6. In combination, a supporting pole, a first sleeve fastened to said supporting pole and provided at its lower end with an annular flange, a second sleeve fitting over said first sleeve and supported by said fiange, two spaced circumferential ribs on said first sleeve, two inwardly extending circular ribs on said outer sleeve cooperating with said two circumferential ribs to maintain said two sleeves in axial alignment while permitting rotation of said second sleeve about said first sleeve, two spaced lugs on the upper end of said first sleeve, two adjusting bolts threaded through the second sleeve and one cooperating with each of said lugs in such manner that by backing out one bolt and screwing in the other said second sleeve may be rotated about said first sleeve, a locking screw screwed through the outer sleeve and adapted to engage the inner sleeve for look ing said outer sleeve in an adjusted position, a casing pivotally attached to said second sleeve, an arm attached to said casing, two lugs on said second sleeve, and two adjusting screws one threaded through each of the lugs on said second sleeve and engaging the opposite sides of said arm in such manner that by turning one screw in the one direction and the other screw in the opposite direction the position of said casing with respect to said second sleeve may be adjusted.

7 The combination with a casing and a v supporting member of a socket portion 4 neeeea formed n the ottom f id cas ng, sai socket portion having two opposite sides the inner faces of which are vertical and two other opposite sides the inner faces of which are semi-cylindrical, the axes of ourvature of said semi-cylindrical faces being coincident and extending at right angles to the inner faces of the other two sides, a first sleeve adapted to be secured to the top of said supporting member, a second sleeve adapted to be rotated about said first sleeve, said second sleeve being provided at its upper end with a projecting portion adapted to fit within said socket portion and having two opposite sides the outer faces of which are vertical and two other opposite sides the outer faces of which are semi-cylindrical, the semi-cylindrical faces of said pro ecting portion having coincident axes of curvature and being so disposed that when 5:

the axes of curvature of the semiscylindrical faces of said socket portion coincide with the axes of curvature of the semi-cylindrical faces of the projecting portion the adjacent faces of said socket portion and said projecting portion will all be parallel, a pivot pin extending through the two sides of said socket portion and the two sides of said projecting portion along said coincident axes of curvature, means for rotating said outer sleeve about said inner sleeve, and means for rotating said casing about said pivot pin.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WESLEY B. ELLS. 

